Smartphones as commodities: High-end prices are plummeting

When Apple reports earnings on Tuesday, analysts predict revenues will be roughly flat with a year ago, a further indication -- along with a steep decline in average price -- that the high-end smartphone market may have peaked and is on the wane. "The market is becoming less about speeds and feeds and more about price. More people don't need to be overwhelmed by a phone, so long as it's good enough," said IDC analyst Kevin Restivo. Analysts see low-end smartphone makers such as Huawei and Lenovo as potentially the major benefactors of the trend.